Contract hurdles may require Amerigroup clients to switch MCOs to stay with Stewart Memorial providers

By: 
Erin Sommers Graphic-Advocate Editor

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UnityPoint Health may be unable to reach a contract agreement with Amerigroup, one of the two remaining managed care organizations that provide health insurance for Medicaid clients in Iowa.
UnityPoint officials announced last week they were in the midst of negotiating a new contract with Amerigroup, but if the two organizations could not reach an agreement by Dec. 31, UnityPoint health care providers, including Stewart Memorial Community Hospital and McCrary Rost Clinics, would not be a part of Amerigroup’s provider network.
“If (Amerigroup members) want to stay with a Stewart Memorial provider, they have to change their MCO to UnitedHealthCare,” SMCH CEO Cindy Carstens said Friday. “We would still provide emergency services; they would be considered out of network.”
Amerigroup clients received a letter from UnityPoint recently explaining the situation. Carstens said Stewart Memorial staff are preparing a similar letter for patients, explaining the situation.
Read more in the Nov. 22 edition. 

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